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Friday, June 18, 2010

My WDYTYA Episode - Uncle Andy B's Two Wives

My research indicates that Uncle Andy B. had at least two wives. Wife #1 was named Margaret Morse Bullock and Wife #2 was named Carolyn Bullock (maiden name not known at this time.) The names of these two wives were discovered through various sources (a family property deed, military records, marriage index, funeral program, social security death index, and cemetery records.) These sources were obtained through the Internet, family sources, and from the county deeds office.

Wife #1Early on in my research, I discovered the name of a wife (Margaret) in a 1928 deed for Uncle Andy B's family property in Vance County, NC. He and his wife Margaret were living in New City at the time of this deed transaction.

Within the last few weeks, I discovered two other documents which mention the name of Wife #1 (Margaret.) Both items were found on the Internet. The first was a marriage index found on the website of the New York Public Library. Though this online index, I learned that the maiden name of the first wife was "Morse" and that she an Uncle Andy B. married on May 28, 1924 in the Manhattan area of New York City. I plan to order microfilm from the Family History Library which contains this couples' marriage license.

The combination of these three documents indicate that Uncle Andy B. and his wife, Margaret, were married at least for 18 years (between 1924 and 1942).

Wife #2

By the time of his death in March 1972, Uncle Andy B. had another wife who was named "Carolyn." Many years after I began researching, I re-examined the 1982 funeral program of my great-great grandmother, Bell Bullock Johnson. In the list of her survivors was noted "one sister-in-law, Carolyn Bullock, of St. Albans, NY." I learned from family members that "Carolyn Bullock" was the wife of Uncle Andy B. who was a brother of my great-grandmother.

After this discovery, I searched for Carolyn Bullock 0n the social security death index. The results of this search gave me her date of birth (June 9, 1901) and the month and year of her death (January 1995). The social security death index also indicated that her middle initial was "J."

One thing that I learned through discovering Carolyn J. Bullock is to re-examine or re-read records. If I had not looked at my great-grandmother's funeral program again, I would have missed this valuable clue. These three records found on Carolyn Bullock give indicate her the years of her lifespan.

A few weeks ago, I requested a search for the funeral programs of Andrew and Carolyn Bullock from the Queens, NY Library. Library staff searched the local newspaper where this couple lived, but did not find newspaper obituaries for either one of them.

And so the search continues...

Stay tuned. . . Coming Up! – Final Scene - Professor Dru Summarizes What She Has Learned and Makes Plans for Further Research.

Genealogy Background of Drusilla Pair

I have been tracing my family history since November 1994 in Greensville County and Newport News Virginia, and Warren, Granville, Vance, and Halifax counties in North Carolina. Since that time, I have given numerous genealogical presentations at family reunions, churches, local and national genealogical societies, and other organizations and have also written family history articles for genealogy and religious publications and books for several of her family reunions. I am a member of the Hampton Roads Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. (AAHGS).